Help.png
This article does not meet the wiki's general standards and/or standards on layouts. You can help by cleaning this article.
File:Flood Prophet.jpg
Flood Prophet, the reanimated Regret.

Prophet Form is a term fans have created to describe Covenant Prophets that have been infected and overtaken by the Flood. Due to their unusual nature, they are not thought of as Combat Forms in the way infected Humans and Elites are. Note that the term "Prophet Form" has not been officially used as canon to date.

It is also worth noting that both "Prophet forms" seen had only just been infected, and may not have been assimilated in the conventional way. The only prophet to be seen being taken by an infection form was the Prophet of Mercy. However, Master Chief removed the infection form, and Mercy died.

Appearance

The Prophet Form maintains the same general form of a Prophet, but with the decayed skin and appearance of a standard Flood organism. If they have been assimilated by Infection Forms, the form does not show visibly, as their sensory stalks do not protrude from the Prophet. This does not mean that the Prophet is kept completely intact- the assimilated Prophet of Regret had only a single, malformed arm, and was impaled by one of the Gravemind's large tentacles. Also, a human skull can be seen in the top right corner of the Prophet Form, which is probably a part of another assimilated being.

Differences to a Combat Form

 
Flood Prophet. Note the human cranium at the top left.

The biggest difference between the Prophet Form and that of the conventional Combat Form is that Prophet Forms seen thus far have maintained their personalities to an extent. Combat forms are essentially zombies. They have no sensory organs or cognitive capability remaining, and are subjected completely to the control by the Infection Form within them. On the other hand, Infected Prophets have demonstrated the ability to see, hear, talk, and even act the same that they did before they were assimilated. In this sense, they appear to be more advanced than Brain Forms.

It seems that they sometimes operate as part of a Brain Form, as the Prophet of Regret appeared to be physically attached to the Gravemind[1]. In the case that there is no Brain Form present, the Prophet Form appears to act, to an extent, as the leader of the Flood within an area.

Also a skull can be seen in the top left corner of the Prophet Form. Looking just below the "Prophet Form" the hand of an elite can be seen as well. No other forms of Flood contain skulls.

Personality

Two Prophet Forms have been encountered, each having radically different personalities. The Prophet of Regret, after being assimilated by the Flood, appeared to maintain his previous personality, almost oblivious to the fact that he was assimilated. This could be either because he was still partially alive, or because the Gravemind was merely controlling him like a puppet.

 
The Minister of Etiology after being absorbed by the Flood.

The Minister of Etiology, on the other hand, was completely unlike his previous self. He acted as a spokesperson for the Flood, even taunting Rtas 'Vadumee saying, "The Forerunners not defeat us, what chance you?"

These personality ideas may be related to the command structure of the Flood in the area. In Regret's case, he was only a part of a larger intelligence, the Gravemind, so his personality did not need altering. The Legate on the other hand, appeared to be the controlling intelligence of the local Flood because the Brain Form on the ship had been destroyed.

NOTE: There is a great deal of controversy on the very existence of the Prophet Form. This article is only for the sake of observing the phenomenon of assimilated Prophets. More details of this phenomenon may be revealed at a later date.

It should be noted that the Prophet of Mercy would likely be transformed into a prophet form,as an infection form attacked and killed him. Evidence for this is Gravemind's quote, "two corpses in one grave." So, when the Master chief left High Charity, the flood must be using him also.

  1. ^ High Charity Beginning cutscene features Prophet form.